Zeus smote and destroyed with thunderbolts
I personally believe that Zeus' thunderbolt was so notorious and deadly that it may represent the theme of power/strength in Greek and Roman Mythology. What I mean by this is that for example, in basketball, you can say "wow, your game winning shot was a Michael Jordan moment." This means that the play itself was so good, it resembled Michael Jordan's expertise. Similarly, one can say, "Wow, the arrow shot by Hercules was like Zeus' thunderbolt.
In size and strength he surpassed all the offspring of Earth. As far as the thighs he was of human shape
Here, it is explained that Typhon was a hybrid between man and beast. However, it's if Typhon was a hybrid, shouldn't he be somewhere in the middle between a human and a beast? It's really odd that his bodily descriptions are polar opposites.
These were matchless in the bulk of their bodies and invincible in their might; terrible of aspect did they appear, with long locks drooping from their head and chin, and with the scales of dragons for feet.2
The vivid descriptions of the Titans really depicts just how forceful and deadly they were. This description of the Titans really reminds me of Fluffy, the three headed dog in the Harry Potter series. It's also really interesting how Fluffy was inspired by Cerberus from Greek Mythology. I think this just shows how many renowned fantasy movies/novels receive influence from Greek/Roman mythology.
Zeus, father of gods as well as men, by whose thunder also the broad earth quakes.
Zeus is arguably the most renowned and distinguished Greek gods, but just how powerful is he?
mowed off the genitals of his father, and threw them backwards to be carried away behind him.
It's really intriguing that back in the days, it was the norm or more precisely quite common for the children to slaughter their parents as a sign of rebel.
First it was Chaos, and next broad-bosomed Earth, ever secure seat of all the immortals, who inhabit the peaks of snow-capped Olympus, and dark dim Tartaros in a recess of Earth having-broad-ways, 120 and Eros [Love], who is most beautiful among immortal gods, Eros that relaxes the limbs, and in the breasts of all gods and all men, subdues their reason and prudent counsel. But from Chaos were born Erebos and black Night; and from Night again sprang forth Aether and Day, 125 whom she bore after having conceived, by union with Erebos in love. And Earth bore first like to herself in size starry Sky, that he might shelter her around on all sides, that so she might be ever a secure seat for the blessed gods; and she brought forth vast mountains, lovely haunts of deities, 130 the Nymphs who dwell along the woodland hills. She too bore also the barren Sea, rushing with swollen stream, the Pontos, I mean, without delightsome love; but afterward, having bedded with Sky, she bore deep-eddying Okeanos, Koios and Kreios, Hyperion and Iapetos, 135 Thea and Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, and Phoebe with golden coronet, and lovely Tethys. And after these was born, youngest, wily Kronos, most savage of their children; and he hated his vigor-giving father.
My knowledge of Greek and Roman Mythology is utterly shallow and this class is the first time I'm formally learning this subject, but it is really surprising how I'm familiar, or at least heard of so many of these names in my ordinary life. I think this just shows how influential and significant Greek/Roman mythology is.
dactylic hexameters. Any poetry from ancient Greece and Rome that is written in dactylic hexameter is called epic poetry.
It's really interesting how there is a poetic meter I've never heard of. As an avid poetry fan, I've read poems from different generations ranging from common ones such as the Iambic Pentameter to the lesser known ones such as the Elegiac Couplet.